Folding cover.



A. J. MAHLBR.

FOLDING COVER.

APPLICATION FILED 11011.22, 1911.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

s'rarns PATENT orrion.

ALBERT J'. MAI-ILER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO IRVING It. REHM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 22, 1911.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 661,666.

To all whom it mayconcem:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. MAHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Covers, of which the following is a full, clear,

concise, and exact description, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a folding cover for use in connection with loose sheets of paper, as for instance in note books, and the like. i

, The principal object of my invention is the provision of means for preventing the creasing of leaves within the cover when the cover is folded.

r-inotlier object of my invention is to provide a loose leaf cover the sides. of which shall be reversible.

A further object of my invention resides in the particular arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of my improved cover showing the relation of the parts when folded, as for insertion into the pocket; Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modification of my invention.

Throughout the several views the same element is designated by the same reference numeral.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates one side or sheet of my folding cover, the second side necessary to complete the cover being designated as 1". Both of the sides 1 and 1 are made of layers of fabric or similar material 22, between which are carried strips 3, preferably of chip board or similar pressed board. The strips 3 run continuously throughout the length of the sides 1 and 1", leaving parallel depressions 3 likewise running the length of the sides, in which parts "3 sides 1 and l are formed merely of the outer fabric material 2 pasted or glued together. Near one edge of the sides 1 and 1 are apertures 4: designed to receive tape 5 for the purpose of tying the halves of the cover together. As illustrated in the drawings a number of sheets of paper 6 are shown bound in the cover. It will be observed that at 7 one of the strips 3 is made narrower than the others shown. The position of the strips 3 in side 1 is consequently staggered or offset from the position of those shown in side 1. It "is obvious, however,.that this offsetting might be accomplished in other ways, as by varying the width of the pieces of fabric between the strips 3. This staggered arangement while preferred in the form of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is not considered essential.

in consequence of the form of construction shown, when the cover is folded as in Fig. 3,-one of the strips 3 is in position to lie transverse to the line of the fold, spreading the paper apart and making a bend of large radius so as to prevent the creasing of the paper which isv one ofthe great 0bjections to the use of flexible covers. for pocket or note books.

In the formshown. inFig. 4 there are only four strips of reinforcing material in each of the sides 1 and 1 ,v two of. which, strips 10-1Q are about double the width of those shown in Fig. 1, while a third strip 12 is carried between strips 1010 which is approximately the same width as strip 3. A fourth strip is used to carry the eyelets in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but this fourth strip does not appear in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the strips 3, while somewhat rigid in the direction of their length, may be bent somewhat so that the book is flexible to some extent in both directions. It will also be understood that while there is no reinforcing between the layers 2-2 in the portions 3, nevertheless that the gluing together of the sheets 2 gives portions 3 a certain rigidity so that when the cover is bent the creases come at the points of union between portions 3 and 3*, as indicated at 8. Thus my cover presents the effect of a series of parallel rigid strips connected by a series of parallel strips of somewhat less rigidity, there being a flexible hinge between each strip and the one next adjoining. Also that the rigid strips may be offset so as to help prevent creasing the matter inclosed within the cover when thesame is folded.

It will be obvious from an inspection of Figs. 9., 3, and 4, that each of the sides of my cover is alike on both surfaces and when one surface is damaged it may be reversed. It is obvious also that the two-sides of my cover are interchan eable unless the reinforcing strips are 0 set.

' It will be understoodthat while I have described my cover as being formed primarily of sheets of fabric that other mate rial, such as heavy paper or leather might be substituted, and the word fabric is used throughout the appended claims as meaning not only fabric, but also the usual substitutes therefor. Also that any other convenient form of binding the sheets together might be substituted for the tape and eyelets shown, andthatthe parts 3 may be stitched together instead of glued.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flexiblecover comprising two sides, each of which is composed of a plurality of layers of flexible material, and a series of stiff strips interposed at intervals between said layers of material, said layers of material being" secured to said stifi strips and being also secured together between said strips, so as to form relatively thin intervening strips flexiblyconnected with the relatively thick portions formed by the stiff strips.

2. A flexible cover comprising two sides, each of which has a plurality of layers of fabric, a plurality of parallel reinforcing strips carried between said layers of fabric, said layers being glued together throughout the greater part of the space between said reinforcing ,strips, leaving unglued flexible hinged portions in said fabric between said reinforcing strips and said glued portions.

3. A cover having a side formed atits middle portion of a series of thick stifl strips and a series of relatively 'thin stiff strips interposed between and having hinged connections with the thick strips.

4. A cover comprising sides each of which is composed of a series of thick stiff strips, and relatively thin stiif strips interposed between and hinged at their edges to the thick strips.

5. A folding cover comprising sides, each of which has a central narrow strip of stiflening material and relatively wide stiffening strips mounted on each side of said central strip.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day of November, A. D., 1911.

ALBERT J. MAHLER. \Vitnesses r A. L. JONES, O. M. WERMIGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G. i 

